The disclosure relates generally to operation or control of engines. More particularly, the disclosure relates to operation or control of engines during weather hazards, including but not limited to operation or control of aircraft engines during icing conditions.
Ice crystals in the atmosphere can pose threats to the operation of vehicles such as aircraft. In particular, aircraft engines operating in an environment containing ice crystals can be susceptible to damage. Engine performance rollback issues are believed to be related to ice crystal accretion, followed by aggregate detachment in solid form before continuing through the aircraft engine. High efficiency engines are believed to be more susceptible to damage caused by ice crystals.
Engine damage can be caused by mixed phase and glaciated ice crystals which can be present near areas of deep convection and at higher altitudes. For example, ice particles entering engines often bounce off surfaces that are colder than freezing. When these ice crystals reach surfaces warmer than freezing in the core of the engine, small ice particles can melt and cause a film of water on the surface to which additional ice crystals can stick. This process gradually reduces the temperature of the surface which can result in accumulation of ice crystals. This accumulation of ice crystals can result in engine performance rollback and can even cause total engine failure.
Thus, there is a need for a system and/or method that senses an inferred or non-inferred icing condition, including but not limited to a high altitude ice crystal (HAIC) or high altitude ice crystal cloud (HAIC2) condition, and adjusts the engine for operation in such conditions. There is also a need for a hazard detection system that provides a signal related to actual or potential ice crystal presence to an engine or engine control system. Still further, there is a need for an icing condition mode for a high efficiency engine.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present disclosure. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.